Boat



Sept. 4, 1928. 1,683,276

7 c. L. WOODS BOAT Original Filed Feb. 27, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 a, a5; Wood;

mum,

Sept. 4, 1928.

C. L. WOODS BOAT Original Filed Feb. 27, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 4, 1928.

C. L. WOODS BOAT Original Filed Feb. 27, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 avwantoz Patented Sept. 4, 1928 onar-so res ns sierra rarise.

CHARLES L. VIOODS, OF ELTON, ILLINOIS.

Application'fileil Februaryfiz', 1926,Seria1 550. 91,106. Renew-ed February '18, 1928.

5 repairing the hull without the necessity of dry-docking.

The invention also provides a boat which .m-aynegotiate-shallow waterand which may .free.-itself intheevent'o'f running afoul of a lOsand-bar-or other obstruction. In accordance with the invention the boat comprises (sections-and means; associated with theseveral sections, whereby any selected section -m ayibe ele;vated to admit of every portion being readilyaccessible, the operating and connectingmeans-loeing such as to space the isectionszany requireddistance from the adjacent section in the range of adjustment. ZEheinvention providesa boat'which in gen- :era'l outlineiis-not unlike a-boat of usual econvstructionibut which admits Y of any one of the sections being elevated for inspection or repairs 'without necessityof the boat going into dry-dock or out of commission and 2 which isadapted to negotiate shallow water #andfloat itself in the event of grounding.

While itherdrawings illustrate a 1 preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that in adapting the means to @meet specific needs and requirements, the design maybevaried and such other changes :inthe'minor details of construction may be resorted to withinthe scope of theinvention :85 claimed, without departing from the spirit thereof. 1 e

For a full understanding ofthe invention andtthe merits thereof, reference is to be had .to :the following description and the drawings hereto'attached, in which,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view ofa boat illustrative of the invention, the fulllines' rshowing theside sections adjusted and the :dotted :lines indicating the normal position of the side-sections,

F'gure 2 llS a vertical transverse sectional 'view-onthe line 2-2 of Figure l, the full flines designating the side sections in elevated: and lateral'adjusted position, and the dottedzlines showingthe normal position of 'saidpart,

.Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2, i with theside sections lowered and the-middle section elevated,

(Figure 4: *is' an enlarged fragmentary secrtional vi-ew onthe line A i of'l igure 1,

Figure 5 is an enlargcdelevational View of tion 1. are in the same plane, as indicated imost a portion of a s lide the cooperatingslide, .a connecting arm between the. slide and main section and a portion of thelside section to which. said ,parts are connected, showing. the lashing between the slide and. side,

I Figure 6 is a detail sectional viewQorilthTe line 6-;6 of Figure 5, and V Figure 7 isan enlarged 'fragmentanyfsectional VlBW- on the l1ne=77 ofFigure 1.

Corresponding. and like, parts are referred 'to in the following description and sdesig nated inthe several views=ofthe drawings by like-reference characters. p

The boat is of sectionaliformation.and

each of the sections may besadjusted toadinit of readyv access to everypart for'inspection, scraping,' repa1ring, paintingand the like. In the preferable construction, the sections are disposed longitudinally and comprise a middle section 1 and'similarside sections 2, the several sections fitting close together, as indicated bythe dotted ilinesfin Figures 1 and 2. The middle section llis provided withthe keel 3and a super-structure 4 ofany design,ewh ich formsisupporting-means for the liftingmechanism. Each of theside sections 2 is provided with super-structure. comprising an upright 5 and a brace 6. The upright 5 constitutes. aguide uponw-hich is mounted-a slide? for vertical movement. The sl1de7 1s provided. at: intervals in itslength with cleats 8 andthe upright or guide 5 is supplied with a neat-.9. A "lashing 10 engages the cleat 9 land-aselected cleat 8 to hold the slide .7 in the requiredadjusted position. While each-ofthe sectionsfzfmay be equipped with-anydesired number ofparts5 it is sufficient toillust'rate two, one being located neareachend-of the section. A guy 11 connects "each of the slides- 7 with the section 1' to preventanyv relative fore and aft movement. of'the sec tions as will be readilyappreciated.

Arms 12 form connectingmeansTbetween the-several sections and are disposed to admit of vertical and lateral adjustment of the sections, as indicated most clearly in' Figures v2 and 8. p 7 nected at one end to the respective slides he arms 12-are :pivotally conf and at the opposite end to the middle'sec- Corresponding arms 12 and guys '11 nected so'that inr'theevent'of anyone offthe guys 11 breaking the section braced thereby means betweenthe Windlass and the lowerv portion of the respective slides 7, so that winding and unwinding of the cable effects adjustment of the sections. Other windlasses 16 are mounted upon the superstructure 1 and ropes, or chains or cables, 17 associated therewith are connected to the upper portion of the slide 7. A guide pulley 18 adj acentthe foot of the super-structure 4t has the rope or cable 17 passed thereunder, so that winding the rope or cable 17 upon the windlass16 will exert a down-pull upon the sections 2 and an Lip-pull upon the section 1 with the result that the middle section is elevated, as indicated in Figure 3, and the outer sections 2 depressed because of the additional load imposed thereon. Each of the windlasses is provided with a crank handle and a detent mechanism such as, a

ratchet and pawl to prevent backward rotation and an unwinding of the rope or cable when under tension to sustain the desired section in elevated position. When the sections are in normal position, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2, the opposing sides are in contact and to accommodate the connecting means a depression 19 is provided in the inner side of one of the sections, preferably the outer sections. The relative elevation and the distance apart of the sections when elevated depend upon the angular position of the arms 12 which may be regulated by vertical adjustment of the slide 7 in the guide or upright 5, said slide'being held in the required adjusted position by lashings 10 and the cleats 8 and 9. The slides 7 are adjusted preliminary to operating thewindlasses to effect vertical and lateral adjustment of the sections. When the windlasses 14 are operated to wind the rope or cable 16 thereon, a downpull is exerted on the middle section 1 and an uppull upon the side sections 2, with the result that the latter sections are elevated, as indicated most clearly in Figure 2. Upon operating the windlasses 16 an uppull is oroperated in shallow Water by elevating the middle section, thereby lifting the keel 3 to enable it to clear the bottom of the water. Then either-section is elevated access may be readily had to every part for any desired purpose and should it be required to inspect or repair the rudder 20, propeller 21 or repack the stuffing box 22, as indicated in F igure 7, the middle section 1 may be lifted so that access may be readily had to such parts.

It will thus be understood that the hull of the boat may be; inspected, scraped, painted or receive other attention without necessitating placing of the boat in dry-dock or' ployed. It is noted that the windlasses 14 and 16 may be operated by any suitable power, such as steam, electric, or explosive engine. Under normal conditions, the mid dle section 1 carries the load and'the side sections 2 ride upon the'surface of the water.

This arrangement insures maximum speed.

Having thus described the invention,'I claim: 7

1. A boat including a hull comprising independent sections, arms forming connecting means between adjacent sections and pivoted thereto, means for adjusting the eifective point of connection between the arms and one of the sections for varying the relative adjustment of the sections and'means for adjusting the sections vertically, whereby they simultaneously receive a lateral adj ustment. V

2. A boat comprising a hull including independent sections, a member carried by one out the sections and adjustable vertically with reference thereto, arms forming connecting means between the said member and the section of the hull adjacent that carrying the said member, and means for adjusting the sections vertically. I

3. A boat comprising a hull formed of independent sections, upper and lower arms forming connecting means between ad acent sections and pivoted thereto and means mounted upon one of the sections and having connection with the adjacent section to effect positive vertical adjustment of the sections.

1. A boat comprising a hull formed of independent sections, upper and'lower arms connecting adjacent sections, upper and lower windlasses mounted upon one of the sections, a cable forming connecting means be- 5. A boat comprising a hull formed of independent sections, a super-structure upon each of the sections, a slide carried by one of the sections, means for securing the slide in an adjusted position, upper and lower arms between said slide and the adjacent opposite section and means for moving either of the sections vertically.

6. A boat including a hull comprising a middle and side sections, a super-structure on each of the sections, slides carried by the side sections, means for securing the slides in adjusted position, upper and lower arms connecting the slides with the middle sections upper and lower windlasses mounted upon the middle section and flexible connecting means between the windlasses and the side sections to effect relative vertical adjustment thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my'signature.

CHARLES L. woons. [L. s.] 

